Use this guide to add your music folders to Crate Hackers, scan your library, re-sync new music, and get your tracks ready for crates, charts, and exports.

Crate Hackers works best when it knows where your actual music files live. If the app is looking in the wrong folder, it cannot match your songs. That is not a mystery. That is just a computer being painfully literal.

Fast Fix

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Go to Library.
  3. Open Music Sources.
  4. Click Add Folder.
  5. Select the folder where your music files live.
  6. Run the scan.
  7. Add more folders if your music is stored in more than one place.
  8. Use Re-sync after adding new music.

What This Article Covers

  • How to add music folders to Crate Hackers
  • How to scan your music library
  • How to re-sync after adding new tracks
  • Where your music should live for the cleanest workflow
  • When to use Folder Flattener
  • When to use AI Duplicate Killer

Step 1: Know Where Your Music Lives

Before scanning, know where your music files are stored.

Your music may live in one or more of these places:

  • Your computer's local drive
  • An external hard drive
  • Dropbox
  • Google Drive
  • A synced cloud folder
  • A folder created by your DJ software

Pick the main folder where the actual audio files live. Crate Hackers needs the real files, not just a playlist name or a shortcut.

Step 2: Add Your Music Folder

Add your music location inside Crate Hackers so the app can scan and match your tracks.

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Go to Library.
  3. Open Music Sources.
  4. Click Add Folder.
  5. Select the folder where your music is stored.
  6. Confirm the folder.
  7. Start the scan.

You can add more than one folder. This is useful if your music is split between your computer, an external drive, and a cloud folder.

If your music is on an external drive, plug in the drive before opening Crate Hackers and before scanning.

Step 3: Let the Scan Finish

After you add a folder, Crate Hackers scans your library so it can understand what tracks you already own.

During the scan, Crate Hackers may read information such as:

  • Artist
  • Title
  • File name
  • Folder location
  • BPM or key data when available
  • Track versions when available

Let the scan finish before building or exporting crates. Starting too early can make it look like songs are missing when the app simply has not finished reading your library yet.

Step 4: Add More Music Later

When you add new music to your computer, Crate Hackers needs to scan again so the new tracks show up.

  1. Add the new songs to your music folder.
  2. Open Crate Hackers.
  3. Go to Library.
  4. Open Music Sources.
  5. Use Re-sync for the folder you updated.

Re-syncing keeps Crate Hackers current without making you start over.

Step 5: Use the One Folder Trick

Your library is easier to scan, search, and export when your music lives in one clean main folder.

A clean folder setup helps reduce:

  • Missing files
  • Duplicate confusion
  • Broken paths
  • Slow scans
  • Export issues inside DJ software

If your music is scattered across random folders, old downloads, desktop piles, and mystery drives from 2017, use Folder Flattener to help create a cleaner collection.

Do not flatten your library without a backup. Moving music files without a backup is how adults invent new swear words.

When to Use Folder Flattener

Use Folder Flattener when your music files are spread across too many folders and you want a cleaner structure.

  1. Back up your music library first.
  2. Open Folder Flattener inside Crate Hackers.
  3. Select the source folder or folders.
  4. Select a clean destination folder.
  5. Run the flattening process.
  6. Scan the new folder after it is complete.

Folder Flattener is best used after you understand where your music lives. Do not use it as a panic button. Panic buttons are for elevators and bad DJs with fog machines.

What About Duplicates?

Duplicate tracks are common. Most DJs have them. Some have hundreds. Some have thousands. Nobody needs to pretend this did not happen.

If Crate Hackers finds duplicates, review them carefully before deleting anything.

  • Do not delete tracks just because the names look similar.
  • Check whether one version is clean and another is explicit.
  • Check whether one version is a short edit, intro edit, extended edit, or remix.
  • Use the duplicate tools inside Crate Hackers when cleaning up.
  • Back up your music before deleting files.

A duplicate is only a duplicate if you truly do not need both versions. Clean and explicit are not the same file. A 3-minute radio edit and a 5-minute intro edit are not the same file. Your search results know the difference, even if your patience does not.

Best Practices for a Clean Library

  • Use one main music folder when possible.
  • Re-sync often after adding new music.
  • Keep file names readable so tracks are easier to identify.
  • Back up before major cleanup or file moves.
  • Use Folder Flattener carefully when your library is scattered.
  • Use AI Duplicate Killer when duplicates start cluttering your library.
  • Test exports after making major folder changes.

Troubleshooting

My Folder Is Not Showing

Make sure the folder exists on your computer and that you have permission to access it. If the folder is on an external drive, plug in the drive and try again.

My External Drive Is Missing

Plug in the external drive before opening Crate Hackers. If the drive is not connected, Crate Hackers may not be able to scan or match those files.

My Cloud Folder Is Not Fully Synced

If you use Dropbox, Google Drive, or another cloud service, make sure the files are actually downloaded to your computer. Online-only files may not scan or export correctly.

The Scan Is Slow

Large libraries take longer to scan. For best performance, keep your library organized and avoid scanning huge messy folders that include non-music files.

Songs Still Look Missing

If songs still look missing after scanning, check that you added the correct folder. Then re-sync the folder. If you recently added new music, make sure those files are inside a folder Crate Hackers is scanning.

BPM or Key Data Is Missing

Some files may not have BPM or key data attached. You may need to analyze those files inside your DJ software if that information is missing.

Exports Have Missing Files

If an exported crate has missing files inside your DJ software, confirm that the original music folder is still connected and available. For external drives, plug in the drive before opening your DJ software.

Supported Systems

For best results, use the current supported version of Crate Hackers for your computer.

Older systems such as macOS Big Sur and below, or Windows 10, may not be supported by the current Crate Hackers desktop app. If you are using an older computer and the app will not install, scan, or export correctly, update your operating system or contact support.

Download the latest version here: cratehackers.com/ch11

Best First Workflow

  1. Put your music in one clear folder if possible.
  2. Open Crate Hackers.
  3. Go to Library.
  4. Open Music Sources.
  5. Add your main music folder.
  6. Run the scan.
  7. Build or open a crate.
  8. Match the songs you own.
  9. Export to your DJ software.
  10. Test the crate before using it live.

That is the clean path. Do that before you start reorganizing your entire music life like it owes you rent.

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